Georgetown: The $2.5 billion ferry that will traverse the Barima-Waini Region One to Georgetown, Region four route is expected to be in Guyana at the end of the year. The ferry which is being funded by the government of India is being constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited.
“We are happy to report to you that work is ahead of schedule on this project. A team from Guyana visited India in November and the report is that we should have this ferry in Guyana ready for operation within the last quarter of this year,” Minister of Public Works said during the Ministry’s end of year press conference on Monday.
The current set up of the stelling where the ferry will be docking dies not suit the design for the ferry that will arrive soon. The ferry that is arriving is a roll on roll off ferry while the stelling are structed for side boarding. With that, Minister Edghill said the current stellings are being designed to facilitate the ferry.
“Both the Georgetown Transport and Harbours facility, the facility at Kumaka, Morawhanna as well as Port Kaituma will be reconfigured and work is advancing on that to facilitate the new ferry from India,” Minister Edghill said.
Funding for the ferry was sourced through a $3.6 billion line of grant and credit with the Government of India. When the contract was signed in January 2021, Minister Edghill had disclosed that the funds for the contract have been available since 2015, but no contract was awarded.
Construction of the new vessel which will replace the ageing M.V. Kimbia.
